Search and rescue operations were underway in western Uganda on Wednesday after a boat capsized on the Nguse river, with at least 20 people feared dead in one of the country’s deadliest waterway accidents in recent years.
More than 30 people were on board when the locally made canoe went down near Kyaleni village, Pachwa town council in Kigadi district, the previous evening. Eight survivors have been found and are receiving medical treatment at local health facilities, according to marine police who have launched a formal inquiry.
A Void Filled with Grief
Relatives of the missing gathered at the riverbank as divers and marine police combed the waters. Many had spent the night waiting for news, clutching plastic containers of food and water they said they did not have the heart to touch.
“We were told the boat was carrying bags of charcoal. How do you put more than 30 people on a canoe loaded with cargo?” said one woman who declined to give her name, her voice trembling. “We just want our people back, dead or alive.”
Police in Kigadi district said the investigation was examining several possible causes, including overloading, night travel — which is common on the river despite being prohibited — and the poor mechanical condition of the vessel.
A Pattern of Tragedy
Uganda’s waterways, particularly Lake Victoria and the rivers that feed it, have been the scene of repeated maritime disasters. In 2018, a passenger ferry sank on the Tanzanian side of Lake Victoria, killing hundreds in one of East Africa’s worst maritime disasters.
River transport is a vital link for communities in western Uganda, where road infrastructure is sparse and rivers serve as the primary means of moving people and goods. But safety standards are often lax, with overcrowded boats and poorly maintained vessels a common sight on Uganda’s waterways.
Safety Violations Cited
Witnesses said the boat had been travelling at dusk despite regulations prohibiting night journeys on the Nguse river. The canoe was reportedly loaded with bags of charcoal — a commodity whose trade is common along the river — in addition to its passengers.
Marine police commander for Kigadi district said patrols had been increased in recent months but that enforcement remained challenging given the sheer length of waterways under their jurisdiction.
National Response
The Ministry of Transport and Works said it was following the situation closely and called on district authorities to enforce existing maritime safety regulations. The government’s accident investigation team is expected to submit a report within 30 days.
As the search continued, the families of the missing kept vigil on the riverbank, their wait made harder by the knowledge that such accidents have become disturbingly familiar in this part of Uganda.
Source: African News / AFP / New Vision Uganda